california

Speakeasy Sunday: Kennedy’s Irish Pub and Curry House, San Francisco CA

Everyone loves a good dive bar, the carefree atmosphere, the peeling paint, the bartender who doesn’t know how to make a proper Manhattan or know the year for their second rate boxed wine. Often times these bars have less than stellar ratings, but you have to learn to read between the lines. Just because the bathroom is not plated in 14K gold, doesn’t mean they don’t fry up amazing chicken wings or a crazy bartender whose antics will keep you laughing all night. Dive bars  are a place where you can relax, feel comfortable and spend the afternoon, watching sports or chatting with friends. That is why we created Speakeasy Sunday to highlight those ugly stepsister venues,  the places you should go, the hidden gems who don’t have a  stick up their butt.

I love Indian food;  people who don’t are just weird. Ok, it can be really spicy, so maybe not weird, but definitely missing out. With my belly full of spicy happiness, I can now sit back and recommend this unexpected jewel in San Francisco. We started off Julie and Sean’s combo birthday with zero plans as usual. We consulted Thrillist to find the best place to eat within walking distance from our hotel.

What we discovered was a combination Irish pub and Indian restaurant, called Kennedy’s Irish Pub and Curry House on Columbus Ave, only a few blocks from Fisherman’s Wharf. The name itself is intriguing enough for a visit. When we found out they served $4 PBR tall boys, we were in. This interesting open floor plan has a typical Irish pub on one side and a random arcade game room on the other, but in the center of the bar is an out of place white linen restaurant which operates as a separate entity. You order your drinks at the bar and then bring them over to your table while contemplating how to carb up for the night without hitting full food coma.

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We ordered our usual Indian spread of chicken tikka masala, veggie samosas and more than enough garlic naan for a party double our size! Everything was so delicious and we were unable to finish the generous portions. It was heartbreaking not taking the leftovers but we didn’t want to be the people bar-hopping with the strong smelling food and no one wanted to be in charge of more than our own coat.

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The service was wonderful and the yummy Indian meal was at such a fair price that we put this restaurant at the top of our “can’t wait to return” list. It was the perfect place to carb up before starting our dive bar crawl.

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~By: Amanda

Way  too Wanderlust Recommends

Kennedy’s Irish Pub and Curry House:  1040 Columbus Ave. San Francisco, CA 94133 +1 415 441 8855 www.kennedyscurry.com

 

Sam Wo


San Francisco is notorious for a wide variety of incredible, delicious and varied cultural foods. My hotel was close to Chinatown so it felt mandatory to partake. I had heard of Sam Wo and did a little research as I was told the hours vary from day to day and they are closed on Tuesdays… ironic since I’m posting this on a Tuesday, but I’ll bridge the gap and give you a day to let this sink in so you can pick up some Sam Wo on Wednesday.
A little history for you, Sam Wo was originally opened in 1912. It was a haven in the 1950s for the beat generation of no frills, cheap Chinese food. It became famous in the 80s due to one one of their waiters who was well known for being rude or refusing to serve people he just didn’t like. I was told if someone would order pork fried rice… he would look at you and say “no. Today you will have Mongolian beef.” He apparently was a special character and made a lasting impression on the community and was synonymous with the Sam Wo restaurant name. The place closed down in 2012 for two years based on health inspection failures and reopened in a new location on Clay St. with a clean bill of health.
The vibe is still the same as is some furniture and there is a little shrine to Edsel Ford Fung on the wall. The place is small and doesn’t seat more than 50 people but the food is good and fast and cheap. The staff was extremely friendly especially if you mentioned the history. They still don’t serve alcohol but they are working on that along with a few other innovative ideas.
We ordered a pot of hot tea and some spring rolls to start. A little sweet and sour pork, chicken and broccoli and shrimp chop suey and we had plenty of leftovers for our guilty pleasure later. Absolutely make sure to check the website before going to be sure of their opening hours for that day. Bring your appetite and maybe come with a pre-buzz or check out one of the fun Chinese dive bars afterwards. Definitely an experience to remember.

~By: Julie

Goin’ Up, On a Tuesday 

 

Potholder Cafe, Long Beach, California 

When I dream about breakfast, which is a lot, this is exactly what I want to dream about! The Potholder Cafe is a cozy Mexican-American diner and has popular spot in Long Beach for many years.

The extensive menu has many traditional favorites, as well as, a large selection of Mexican inspired breakfast items. It was 15 minutes before I was able to narrow down my choice to the Breakfast Burritos, which of course i added chorizo. Other favorites from our table included the Mondo Burrito, the BLT and Tim’s Dugout, which includes a bit of everything for those who are indecisive! The burritos burst with flavor and the pancakes are the perfectly done and crowned with a lake of butter. Vegan, vegetarian, gluten free and heathy choices round out the menu, because well this is California!

This quirky and laid back cafe is the perfect place for breakfast or brunch and offers bottomless mimosa on Saturday for $9.95. Looking for something without alcohol, however I’m confused why….the fresh brewed coffee offers a variety of fancy flavored creamer choices. I would eat breakfast here everyday if I could, if calories no longer existed.
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Way TooWanderlust Reccommends 

~By: Amanda